Ashok Gehlot, a frontrunner for the Congress party’s top post just days ago, is now out of the race and is likely to continue as Rajasthan chief minister for now after around eighty MLAs threatened to resign if Gehlot is replaced by his “rival,” Sachin Pilot.
However, Gehlot loyalist Shanti Kumar Dhariwal has accused Ajay Maken, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan, of being involved in a conspiracy to remove Gehlot as chief minister and alleged he was canvassing for Pilot.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is busy with his Bharat Jodo Yatra.Rahul Gandhi on Monday resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Shoranur after a day’s rest and he was joined by hundreds of party workers in the march.
The march resumed around 6.30am. Congress leadership is furious with Ashok Gehlot for plotting a rebellion that has embarrassed the party in the middle of Rahul Gandhi’s “Bharat Jodo Yatra”.
The 71-year-old Gandhi favourite’s refusal to give up the post of Rajasthan Chief Minister has annoyed the leadership, the sources say.
Although three ministers close to him coordinated the rebellion, Gehlot denied any part in it, citing his visit to a shrine near the India-Pakistan border that morning where there was no phone reception.
“Nothing is in my hands. The MLAs are angry,” he told the central leadership.
